#16 Bows and Arrows
Chapter 5

Zale

I had been searching for her for centuries, far longer than any other dragon I knew.

25 years ago, when my father was asked to lead a pod in the human realm, I joined him in hopes of meeting my mate here. 15 years ago, my parents stepped down and I stepped up, becoming the Chieftain of the House of Ohlson. That’s when I really started to feel the loneliness. Knowing that my pod was in good hands, I left to tour all the realms in search of her.

For two years, I’ve been gone from home, only returning when the neighboring pack’s Alpha and Luna were killed in an attack. To honor them and the relationship the Sparrow pack has with our pod, I knew I had to attend their new Alpha’s ceremony. I hadn’t seen the Sparrow children since my own rise to Chieftain ceremony.

I arrived at the Sparrow pack exactly on time and planned on leaving after the ceremony was finished. I had no reason to stay. To make matters worse, my beast was on edge which had me teetering on the cliff of sanity.

I kept my head down as I walked from my car in the parking area in front of the packhouse to the yard behind it that held the ceremony. I didn’t want to engage with anyone, keeping an air of darkness around me to ward off anyone who wanted to chitchat. I found a seat at the end of the last row so I could make a quick escape once the final speech was given.

A few minutes later, the music changed and all eyes turned towards the french doors. I assumed this meant the Luna was going to make her entrance. I wasn’t as interested as the rest of the pack, instead I kept my eyes on the Alpha. He was a lucky bastard, having found his mate before he had to ascend to power.

The doors opened and my beast let out a mighty roar.

I jerked in my chair, my head snapping roughly towards the doors. I saw two women making their way down the aisle. The Luna was wearing a long dark blue dress with a flower crown in her hair, she had an aura of innocence and vulnerability about her.

Beside her stood the exact opposite. She had an air of confidence, power, and strength. She was a warrior.

She had shoulder length reddish-brown hair that was curled loosely, matching the softness of her round face. She was smiling at the Luna confidently, obviously trying to make her feel better. Her smile sent me spiraling. It lit up her entire face and, when she turned to face the crowd, I saw that it crinkled her impossibly dark eyes.

About halfway down the aisle, I saw her body twitch and there was a slight stumble in her step. Anyone else would have missed it, but not me; I was already attuned to her body. I knew, in that moment, that she had sensed me. I kept my eyes solely on her, studying her body and making it known to her that I wasn’t looking away.

She was stubborn, my mate, refusing to turn towards me. She tried to sit, but the Alpha wouldn’t let her; he gestured for her to join him on the stage and it got me wondering who this mystery woman was. She turned towards the crowd and I felt my heartbeat increase wildly.

She tried hard not to replace me in the crowd, but she couldn’t help it; the matebond was too strong. Her eyes locked right onto mine and I was a goner.

Now I knew why I had to search for so long, why I had to suffer for two centuries. It was all for her and it was all worth it.

The Alpha went on and on, but I didn’t hear a single word he said. My eyes never left hers. The Alpha said something and her head jerked towards him, a mischievous smirk on her beautiful face.

She mocked him and he let her, laughing along with her teasing. Their eyes echoed each other’s and, when she claimed him as her big brother, I realized who this woman was: Adira Sparrow.

Adira was 12 the last time I saw her at my Chieftain ceremony. She was a badass, even then, giving her mother a hard time about having to wear a dress. She looked stunning in her dress, a clear picture of what the young girl would grow up to become.

I was miserable about having to take over the title without a mate by my side. After the ceremony, I slipped away into the woods to hide out from the festivities. The little girl had the same idea, clearly replaceing peace among the trees instead of with the party goers. She was sitting on a low hanging branch up in a tree, her legs kicking the air as she threw rocks at unsuspecting squirrels and chipmunks.

“What are you doing up there, little wolf?” I chuckled.

She gasped a little in shock and looked down at me.

“Getting my dress dirty.” She shrugged and I couldn’t help but laugh.

“I bet your mom will love that.”

She shrugged,

“I’m no princess.”

I watched her precious face and something inside me told me that she was a princess, she was destined to be a princess. I just hadn’t realized that it was my princess she was destined to become.

“Why are you here? Isn’t it your party?” She snapped at me with a pouty expression.

“It is, but I don’t like parties very much.” I said,

“Me either,” She huffed, blowing out a puff of air, “I’d much rather be in the woods.”

“Are you sure you’re a wolf?” I chuckled, motioning towards the tree, “You climb like a monkey.”

The girl giggled,

“I can see better from up here.”

“What’s your name, little wolf?” I asked.

“Adira. Adira Sparrow.”

“Ah, the daughter of an Alpha.”

She frowned at that statement and shook her head,

“I’m a warrior.” She said, narrowing her eyes on me.

“Forgive me,” I held up my hands in surrender, “I didn’t realize I was speaking to a warrior.”

“I’m going to be an Archer.” She announced proudly.

I looked into her eyes and knew that she meant business. This little wolf would grow up to be a warrior one day, an Archer, too. She had me convinced. The strength and power in her dark green eyes was too much for a child, but it was there, anyway.

The only thing I didn’t know was that she was also destined to be my mate.

While I was busy walking down memory lane, the speech had ended and the crowd was bowing down to their new Alpha and Luna. I bowed my head in respect, but there was no way in hell I was hitting my knees for an Alpha wolf. My beast was laughing at the mere thought of it. I kept my gaze upwards, in hopes that her eyes would replace mine again.

Eventually, they did. I saw her wolf peeking through her green orbs, begging to be set free, but she pushed her aside. She shook her head when her brother put his hand on her shoulder and I growled at the mutt who took her attention away from me.

After the ceremony was over, the crowd dispersed to the reception. I hung back, wanting to intercept my mate before she made it to the party. Like before, she had no intentions of going to any party. Instead, she slipped off to the woods.

I followed after her slowly. When she hit the treeline, she kicked off her heels and then she was running. My beast roared in my head at the game and we took off after her. The little wolf was fast, but my beast was faster and we weren’t about to lose our mate now that we’ve found her.

In a matter of seconds, we closed in on her. I ran up behind her, pinning her between my chest and the tree. She growled low in her chest when she was caught, bracing herself on the tree bark. I bent down to inhale her scent, bringing my nose as close to her neck as I could without touching her.

She smelled of vanilla and honey. Her scent, her presence, was the only thing that had successfully given my breast peace in nearly 200 years. He had nearly gone feral with the absence of his mate, going as far as needing to be locked up when we slipped into our fits of rage. She was my peace, my kyrre.

“I finally found you, little wolf.” I purred into her ear and she shivered.

“I wasn’t sure you’d remember me,” She whispered, never turning her face around and, thus, denying me the chance to see her, “Zale.”

My name rolling out of her mouth made my beast purr and caused my entire body to tremble with lust and desire.

“Of course I remember you. You were just as strong, just as stubborn as a child as you are now, it would seem,” I chuckled, “You became that warrior, that Archer, that you said you’d be.”

“I did.” She replied matter-of-factly.

“I knew you would,” I said, running my hands down her arms and enjoying the feelings it gave me, “I just didn’t know you would be my mate, too.”

She trembled in my arms and I knew it wasn’t from the cold.

“I’m glad you’re finally home.” I whispered.

She snapped out of whatever trance she was in then and whipped around, putting her hands against my chest and shoving me away. I chuckled at her resistance and that was clearly the wrong move.

“I’m not some pet that you can adopt and take home.” She snarled at me.

The laughter was gone from my face and I shook my head,

“That’s not at all what I meant, Adira.”

She was glaring at me with such harshness that it took my breath away.

“I’m an Archer and a warrior, you said so yourself,” She said, crossing her arms over her chest, “I’m not meant to be kept.” She spat the word at me.

“Please, I wouldn’t do that.” I said, my voice straining against the emotions I was feeling.

“You’re a Chieftain.” She said and I nodded,

“I am.” I took a hesitant step towards her and she watched me closely.

“Alphas….” She started to say, but I shook my head and interrupted her,

“We aren’t the same. Don’t put me in the same category as Alphas. Their young, their wolves are young and emotional.”

“And dragons aren’t?” Her expression told me that she didn’t believe me.

“No, we’re emotional, but we aren’t young and we’ve experienced more than the wolves have. I know the benefits of a strong warrior as a mate. I know most Alphas don’t want that, that you’re used to Lunas who are submissive and hidden and made for other purposes than fighting. That’s not the case for dragons,” I closed the distance between us again and touched her arm gently,

“I can’t think of a better gift than a mate who can stand on her own, who can fight by my side; a fierce Lady for the House of Ohlson,” I tucked her fallen hair behind her ear and she followed my movements with her eyes, “There is one thing that’s the same, though.” I whispered.

Her eyes pinched together in an adorably curious expression,

“What?” She asked.

“We both need our mates to give us peace, to give us strength, and to give us harmony between man and beast,” I leaned down to whisper in her ear, “That’s what you are to me, little kyrre, you’re my peace.”